Actuating device for railway appliances.



Patented Oct. 30, I900.

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No. 660,825. E. A. SPERRY.

ACTUATING DEVICEFOR RAILWAY APPLIANCES.

(Application filed dot. 17, 1899.)

(No llodaL) No. 660,825. Patolited Oct. 30,1900.

.E. A. SPEBRY.

ACTUATING DEVICE FOR. RAILWAY 'APPuA'ucEs;

(Application filed on. 17, 1899.)

' 3 Sheets-Shaai 2.

660,825. Patented. Oct. so, i900.

E. A. SPERRY.

' ACTUATING DEVICE'FUR RAILWAY APPLIANCES.

- (Application filed Oct. 17, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

I B 2/ WW 011 25156525: Jnvehror NITED' STATES,

P TENT OFFICE.

ELMER A. SPERRY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ACTUATINGI DEVICE FOR RAlLWAY APPLIANCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 660,825, dated October 30,1900.

Application filed 0ctoberl'7, 1899. Serial No. 733.873. \No model.) v

To a whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, E LMER A/SPERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Actuating Devices for Railway Appliances, of which the following is a specifi cation.

In an application for United States Letters Patent filed by me May 17, 1897, Serial No. 636,924, I show and describe a device for actuating railway appliances operated by a wheel of a passing locomotive or vehicle, the device being'moved in either of two directions for effecting different or opposite move ments in the appliance to be actuated or left quiescent, according to the condition of the passing wheel-41 6., if power is being applied to said wheel the device will be operated for effecting one movement of the actuated appliance'. If said wheel be retarded by the action. of a brake, the device will be moved in an opposite direction for effecting an opposite movement of the appliance, or if said wheel is acting as a mere idler or roller the device will remain quiescent. These several conditions of a wheel I term its torque condition, and while my aforesaid application is mainly based upon a device in which different torque conditions are requisite for moving the actuated appliance in difierent directions I therein show and describe a modified construction in which opposite movements of the actuated appliance are effected by the same torque condition of the passing wheel. My present application is mainly based upon this modified construction and may be considered a division of the aforesaid prior application in so far as it relates to matter therein shown and not claimed. I have, however, devised certain novel features in connection therewith not heretofore disclosed, which form a part of this application.

My invention has been devised with special reference to the automatic operation of switch-points of electric railways, but is applicable also to the operation of signals or other appliances; and it consists mainly in the combination of a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and suitable connections between said movable part and an appliance to be actuated, whereby successive movements of said movable part 'in the same direction will effect different movements in the actuated appliance. 7

Other features of my invention relate to means for preventing a displacementof the actuated appliance by the wheels of a car or train of cars which come in contact with the movable part after the appliance has been moved or left in the desired position by the forward wheels of the locomotive or car, and still other features of my invention relate to features of construction whereby the appliance to be actuated is at all times free to be moved independently of the wheel-actuating mechanism.

After a detail description of a device embodying my invention the features deemed novel will be specified in the claims hereunto annexed. 7

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of a railway-track, aswitchpoint,and my actuating mechanism, the boxes or casing inclosing the latter being shown in section and a portion of the flange of the rail-J/ way-track being broken away for disclosing underlying mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the actuating mechanism with the inclosing boxes and flange of the railwaytrack shown in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 on line 3 3. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the actuating mechanism with a portion of the inclosing box shown in section. V Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 4 on line 5 5. Fig. 6 is a similar view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are detail views of a part of the mechanism.

That part of my device which is moved by a passing wheel for efiecting a movement of the appliance to be actuated I have termed the movable part, and it is to be understood that it is immaterial to the main features of my invention whether this movable part be a portion of a railway-track or independent thereof, or in what manner it is mounted, so long as it is capable of being moved by the torque condition of a passing wheeL' A s shown in the drawings, the movable part A is designed to be moved by the flange of a passing wheel instead of the tread-surface thereof and is consequently located adjacent to the inner side of a railway-track B, and it is inclosed within a box O,which also contains adjacent mechanism. The movable part. A is supported by links a a, pivoted thereto and to suitable ears or lugs a a, as shown, that it may swing upon said links between abutments a? a formed by the ends of a slot b, cut in the flange b of the track B, through which the movable part projects to a sufficient height to be engaged by the flange of a passing car-wheel, and in order to prevent a forward movement by sudden contact of a wheel the top of the movable part is curved, as shown, to bring its ends below the flangeline and provide for a gradual upward incline from the ends toward the center.

It will be readily seen that if poweris being applied to a wheel moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the flange thereof coming in contact with the upper surface of the movable part will cause the latter to be maintained against abutment a but should the wheel be retarded by the action of a brake the movable part will be carried forward against abutment (L The movable part A is normally held against abutment a by a spring (1 bearing against a projection or lug a as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In front of the movable part A is an upright lever D, pivotally supported on a bolt d to swing in a line at right angles to the movement of the movable part A, and at the upper end of said lever is a rod or pin d, loosely fitted to slide back and forth within a sleeve (1 the movement of said pin being limited by cross-pins or stops d as shown. A spring d normally holds lever D in position to bring pin d in line with a projection a at the forward end of movable part A. In front of pin d and in line therewith is a rod E, inclosed within a tube 0, tapped into the box Oand also tapped into a-box 0, located some distance away, containing the mechanism connected to the appliance to be actuated, which in this instance is a switch-point F. Motion is communicated from the movable part A to the mechanism in box 0 through the rod E,which is pushed forward by pin d whenever the latter is itself moved by a forward movement of the movable part A.

Within box 0 is a sliding plate G, resting on supports g, having studs g g projecting into slots g g at each end of the plate for guiding it in its sliding movements. Plate G is connected to rod E by means of a sleeve g at the end of an arm 9, said sleeve being loosely mounted on said rod, but firmly held against independent longitudinal movement by a spring 6, interposed between said sleeve and a fixed abutment e and which forces the former against a collar 6 fixed to the rod E. Spring 6 also forces rod E rearwardly and normally holds it against the pin d in box 0, before referred to. Carried by plate G are two pawls fand f", pivoted at f and f respectively, and provided with rearward extensions f f, which are coupled together by a link f so that both pawls will move together upon their pivotal supports. Pivotally mounted upon the guiding-stud g is a rocking lever I-I, having lateral projections 71 h, which are engaged by the pawls f and f respectively, for rocking said lever in one direction or the other, as will be presently explained. Attached to the outer end of lever H is a link 72 coupled to the switch-point F. Link 7L2 carries a flat spring 72 projecting rearwardly therefrom and overlying link f, the latter being provided with two pins 71, 72 one at each side of said spring, which are alternately engaged thereby for moving the link f from one position to another, and thereby shifting the position of pawlsfandf upon their pivotal supports. In the position shown in Fig. 1 link f is held byspring h in position which holds pawlf away from rockinglever H and pawl fin position to engage and move the same when carried forward by a movement of rod E. When rocking lever H is moved by pawl f, the switch-point will be moved from its closed to its open position by the link 7L and spring h carried thereby, will be forced against pin h and link f will be moved and pawls ff shifted so that pawlf will be in position to engage and move the rocking lever H in a reverse direction and close the switch-point at the next succeeding movement of the rod E. It will thus be seen that at each movement of plate G switch-point F will be moved in a direction opposite to that in which it was last moved, and, as already explained, plate G is moved by a forward movement of the movable part A acting upon rod E through sliding pin (1.

It is to be here noted that while the switch point F is coupled by link 72. with rocking lever H the latter is not directly coupled to other movable parts of the device. The switch-point is therefore free to be moved by hand at any time without in any manner moving or affecting the automatic actuating mech anism. This is of importance in rendering it unnecessary to back a car or train when by accident the switch-point is in the wrong position after the movable part has been passed over by the wheels which should have properly controlled its movements.

With the device as thus far described it will be readily seen that after the switclrpoint or other appliance has been moved to the desired position by the forward wheels of a car or locomotive there is liability of its being displaced by the other wheels, which must come in contact with the movable part and which might possibly cause it to move forward and throw the actuated appliance out of position. I have therefore provided for automatically breaking the connection between the movable part and the other actuating mechanism the moment the forward wheels of the car or locomotive have passed over the movable part and'again automatically placing the device in operative condition after the last wheels of the car or train have passed the switch-pointor a predetermined point in their travel. Forward of the movable part A and in line to be depressed by the flange of apassing wheel is a pin I, backed bya strong spring 1' and connected by links t" to a forked lever J, pivoted upon bolt d, the link connection being such thata downward movement of pin I will cause an outward movement of lever J. The two armsjj of lever J are mounted at each side of the upright lever D, and said arms are connected together at their upper ends by a cross-piecef, which when said lever is moved outward bya depression of pin I will engage and move the lever D,so that pin d, carried thereby, will be out of the path of the projection a of the movable part A, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5, in which position no movement of movable part A can be communicated to other parts of the device. Pivoted to the upright lever D is an arm d havinga hooked end d which is engaged by a latch K for holding lever D in its outward position, as will be explained. Within a small box or casing 0 which is readily removable from the box or casing O, is mounted a shaft L, to which is attached a coil-spring I, which tends to rotate said shaft in the direct-ion of the arrow, Fig. 6. Fixed on shaft L is a ratchet-wheel M, to which is secured a pawl n, backed by a spring n and engaging a second ratchet-wheel N, the latter being fixed to a sleeve n loosely mounted on shaft L and carrying a gear n Above shaft L is a short shaft or stud 0, upon which is rotatively mounted a disk 0, to which is attached a pinion o, meshing with gear n At one side of disk 0 is a sliding rod P, guided and supported at its inner end by a bracket and at its outer end bya slot p, cut'in the wall of the box 0 On the side of rod P, next to the disk 0, there is apin p normally held by said rod in the path of a similar pin 0 projecting from the disk 0. The rod P has a sliding movementlimited by cross-pins or stops 19 which come in contact with the wall of the casing 0 and said rod is held in its outward position by a spring p bearing upon its rear end, as clearly shown. Upon disk 0 is a second pin 0 in line to be engaged by the pin p on rod P when the latter is moved to the limit of its inward movement. The teeth of ratchet-wheels M and N are equal in number and reversely'inclined, as shown, and it will be readily seen that ratch etwheel M is free to be rotated for winding spring Z, but is prevented from being rotated thereby by the engagement of pawl n with ratch et-wheel N, the latter being held against rotation by the pin p on rod P,which prevents rotation of disk 0, geared to ratchet-wheel N, as'before described. Disk 0 and sliding rod P constitute an escapement for spring. Z and permit a return of ratchet-wheel M to its normal position after it has been moved, as will be explained.

Attached to an arm or extension 7' of forked lever J is a U-shaped spring j, forming a yielding bearing between said lever and a sliding rod Q, the latter being supported within the casing O by a bracket q and by a slot in the wall of the casing, as before described in connection with rod P, and the sliding movements of this rod arelimited by pins or stops g in a similar manner. The end of rod Q is reduced in size to form a shoulder g and an extension g which projects through a slot or hole 3' in springj thus forming a readily-detachable connection between the forked lever J and rod Q, as will be readily understood. Rod Q carries a pawl m, pivoted upon an adjustable stud m and backed bya spring m said pawl being in line to engage ratchet-wheel M when carried forward by the rod Q, but normally held away from said ratchet-wheel by a spring m bearing against the inner end of rod Q. Ratchet-wheel M carries a pin or stud 7t, which when said wheel is in its normal position bears upon an extension of latch K and holds the latter out of engagement with the hooked end of arm d It is now to be understood that when pin I is depressed by the flange of a passing wheel links 1." will move forked lever J, which in turn will move upright lever D to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and at the same time rod Q will be pushed by springj", carried by the forked lever J. This will cause pawl m to engage and move ratchet wheel M the distance of one tooth, and pin it, carried thereon, will be moved sufficiently away from the extension 7c of latch K to permit the latter. to drop into engagement with hooked end of arm d and hold lever D in the position to which it has been moved. Pin I and rod Q are returned to their normal positions by their respective springs, and while lever D is held by latch K nomovement of the movable part A can be communicated to the switch-point, and as each wheel of the passing car or train comes in contact with pin I forked lever J pushes rod Q, and the ratchet-wheel M is moved thereby the distance of one tooth; but before the ratchetwheel M can make a complete revolution and cause pin k to release the latch K the escapement mechanism is operated, as will now be explained.

At each side of the switch-point F, nearits pivotal point, are pinsor projections r 1", arranged to be depressed by the flange of a passing wheel in the same manner as the pin 1, before described. These pins 7' 4" project from a block or plate R, which rests upon or is backed by a strong spring T and itis guided by a pin or stud r projecting through a slot r as clearly shown. Rigidly secured to the rod E is an arm 6 connected to the block R by a link 6 so that a depression of the latter will cause rod E to rock or turn upon its axis. Upon the end of the rod E which is acted upon by the pin 61, there is an end piece 6 having a lateral extension 6 provided for keeping said rod at all times in engagement with pin d, and at the under side of said end piece there is a projection e which when rod E is turned upon its axis pushes the sliding rod P. Upon the end of rod P there is a U-shaped spring 19 forming a yielding bearing which compensates for any greater movement of rod E than is required for moving rod P the proper distance. When rod P is moved by rod E from its normal position, (shown in Figs. 6 and 7,) the pin p carried thereby, will be moved away from the path of pin 0 on the disk 0, as shown in Fig. 8, and the latter will be rotated by springl through gear 71 and pinion 0 until stopped by contact of pin 0 with pin 19 as shown in Fig. 9. The rotation of the disk 0 is quite rapid, and rod P is quickly returned to its original position by its spring 29 the disk being again caught by the pin 19 It will be seen that the disk 0 makes one complete revolution each time the rod E is rocked upon its axis, and it is so geared to the ratchet-wheel N that the latter will be moved the distance of one tooth at each complete revolution of the disk. The distance between the pin I and the pins 0' r is such that there can never be a greater number of car-wheels between the two points than one less than the number of teeth upon ratchet -wheel N, which corresponds in number of teeth with ratchet-wheel M. As already described, the switch-point is moved from its open to its closed position, or vice versa, by a forward movement of the movable part A. Upon the approach of a car if the switch-point happens to be in the correct position nothing is required to be done by the engineer or motorman, and while the projecting pins in the path of the wheels will be depressed by each wheel coming in contact therewith the device will not be affected thereby, as will presently appear. If it is desired to change the position of the switch-point, the brakes are applied to the forward wheels of the car or locomotive as they pass over the movable part. This will cause the movable part to be carried forward against the pin 61, which in turn will push the rod E and cause the switch-point to be moved, as already explained. As the first wheel leaves the mov able part it depresses the pin I, which causes the pin 61 to be moved out of line with the movable part and the ratchet-wheel M to be rotated the distance of one tooth for releasing latch K and preventing a return movement of pin (Z'. As each wheel depresses pin I ratchet-wheel M is rotated the distance of one tooth. When the first wheel of the car and each succeeding wheel pass over either of the pins 0 or 'r at the switch-point, the disk 0, as already explained, is permitted to make one revolution, which allows ratchet-wheel M to move back one tooth, so that in the device shown, as there cannot be more than seven wheels pass over the pin I before one of the pins 0 or r is depressed, the ratchet-wheel cannot make a complete revolution or return to its original position until the last wheel of the car or train of cars passes the switch-point.

The return of ratchet-wheel M to its original position brings the pin in contact with the rear end 70 of latch K and raises it, which permits upright lever D to be returned by its spring 61 to its normal position, when the device is again in operative condition.

If by possibility the pins 0 r and the pin I should be depressed at the same moment, the disk 0 while released by the rod P would be prevented from being rotated by the engagement of pawl m with ratchet-wheel M, and to provide against a derangement of the device which would result from a failure of the escapement'to operate I provide the sliding rod P with a pawl s, which engages a notch s in the disk 0 and moves it suificiently to bring the pin 0 slightly above the lower edge of pin 9 on the rod P. The lower face of pin 0 on disk 0 and the upper face of pin 19 on rod P are inclined, as shown, so that when the rod P is moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8 and the disk 0 moved by the pawl s, as shown, the point of pin 0 on the disk will be above the point of the pin 19 on the rod and a return movement of the latter cannotinterfere with a revolution of the disk, which it might do if the disk were not moved by pawl 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or car, and designed to be moved by the torque condition thereof, and suitable connecting mechanism between said movable part and the appliance to be actuated, whereby successive movements of the movable part in the same direction will effect different movements in the actuated appliance, substantially as described.

2. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle, designed to be moved thereby for effecting a movement of the appliance to be actuated, and means whereby said part may be moved by a wheel passing in either direction without causing a movement of said appliance, substantially as described.

3. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the-path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle, and adapted to be moved thereby, connecting mechanism between said movable part and an appliance to be actuated, and means controlled by the passing wheels for rendering said connecting mechanism inoperative during the passage of acar or train of cars between given points, substantially as described.

4. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a car or vehicle and adapted to be moved thereby, intermediate connecting mechanism between said movable part and an appliance to be actuated, and

means controlled by the passing wheels for disconnecting and again connecting the in termediate mechanism with said movable part, substantially as described.

5. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and designed to be moved by the torque condition thereof, and suitable connections between said movable part and an appliance to be actuated, whereby the latter may be moved in opposite directions by successive movements of said movable part or independently thereof, substantially as described.

6. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and designed to be moved by the torque condition thereof, mechanism connected to the appliance to be actuated adapted to be operated for effecting different movements thereof by successive movement-s of the movable part in the same direction, substantially as described.

7. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a car or vehicle, suitable connecting mechanism between said movable part and an appliance to beactuated, and means for automatically disconnecting said movable part from and connecting it with the appliance to be actuated by means of said mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In an actuating device for railway appliances designed to be operated by the torque condition of a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, a rocking lever connecting the appliance to be actuated, pawls for engaging and moving said lever in opposite directions, and means whereby said pawls will be shifted for causing an opposite movement of said lever at each operation of the device', substantially as described.

9. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle, a sliding rod controlling the movements of the appliance to be actuated, and an intermediate rod or pin between said sliding rod, and movable part adapted to be moved into or out of line therewith, substantially as described.

10. In an actuating device for railway appliances a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle, connecting mechanism between said movable part and the appliance to be actuated, and pins also in the path of said wheels for controlling said connecting mechanism with reference to the movements of said movable part, substantially as described.

11. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or Wheels of a locomotive or vehicle, a sliding rod controlling the movements of a device to be actuated, an intermediate pin or rod between said movable part and said sliding rod, and means controlled by the passing wheels for moving said pin or rod out of line with said movable part and holding and releasing it, substantially as described.

12. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and adapted to be moved thereby,pawls adapted to be moved by said movable part, a rocking lever connecting the appliance to be actuated, and means whereby the pawls will be shifted for moving said rocking lever in opposite directions at each movement of said movable part, substantially as described.

13. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and adapted to be moved thereby, a sliding rod adapted to be moved bythe movements of said movable part, pawls carried by said rod, a rocking lever connecting the appliance to be actuated and means whereby the pawls will be shifted for moving said rocking lever in opposite directions at each movement of the sliding rod, substantially as described.

14. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a movable part-lying in the path of a wheel or wheels of a locomotive or vehicle and adapted to be moved thereby, a sliding rod controllingthe movements of the appliance to be actuated, a rod or pin between said sliding rod and movable part, means for moving said rod or pin out of line therewith, latching mechanism for holding and releasing said pin, consisting of a latch controlled by the movement of a ratchet-wheel fixed to a spring: actuated shaft, a pawl for moving said ratchetwheel controlled by the passing wheels, and escapement mechanism also controlled by the passing wheels for permit-ting a return movement of said ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

15. In an actuating device for railway appliances adapted to be operated by a wheel or Wheels of a passing locomotive or Vehicle, separate boxes or casings each containing wheel-actuated mechanism, a rod connecting the two boxes adapted to be moved longitudinally by mechanism in one box for operating mechanism in the other, and means within the second box for rocking or rotating said rod for operating mechanism in the first box, substantially as described.

16. In an actuating device for railway appliances adapted to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, separate boxes or casings located at a distance from each other containing wheel-actuated mechanism, a rod connecting said boxes, and mechanism in each operated by mechanism in the other through said rod, substantially as described.

17. In an actuating device for railway appliances adapted to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle for effecting a movement of the appliance to be actuated, mechanism operated by a step-bystep movement for rendering the device inoperative, means for moving said mechanism step by step, and means for returning said mechanism step by step to its normal position substantially as described.

18. In an actuating device for railway appliances adapted to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, mechanism operated by a step-by-step movement for rendering said device inoperative, means for moving said mechanism step by step, and means for retu rning said mechanism step by step to its normal position, the lastnamed means being located atadistance from the first, substantially as described.

19. In an actuating device for railway appliances designed to be operated by a wheel or wh els of a passing locomotive or vehicle, the combination with a track-rail having an overhanging flange or tread, separate boxes or casings lying along the line of said rail and separated from each other, independent wheelactuated mechanism within each of said boxes for controlling mechanism in the other, and a rod connecting the mechanism in both boxes housed beneath the flange of the trackrail, substantially as described.

20. In an actuating device for railway appliances, a box or casing containing mechanically-operated mechanism adapted to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, a second box or casing within the first containing cooperating mechanism, and readily-detachable mechanical connections between the mechanisms in the two boxes, substantially described.

21. In an actuating device for railway appliances designed to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, mechanism adapted to be operated in one direction for rendering the device inoperative and in an opposite direction for placing the device in operative condition, oppositely-acting actuators for causing said mechanism to move in opposite directions and means whereby both actuators may be moved simultaneously and each perform its function without interfering with the other, substantially as described.

22. In an actuating device for railway appliances adapted to be operated by a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, mechanism adapted to be operated in one direction for rendering the device inoperative and in an opposite direction for placing the device in operative condition, and oppositelyacting actuators forsaid mechanism operated at a distance from each other, substantially as described 23. In an actuating device for railway appliances designed to be operated by the torque condition of a wheel or wheels of a passing locomotive or vehicle, mechanism for rendering said device inoperative, a catch and releasing mechanism for the first-named mech anism, and means for delaying the action of the releasing mechanism, sn bstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ELMER A. SPERRY.

\Vitnesses:

KITTIE SVVARTZ, HERBERT CREGO. 

